Napkin-holder table attachment



(No Model.)

J. M. HINDS.

NAPKIN HOLDER TABLE ATTACHMENT. No. 404,410. Patented June 4, 1889..

lii/tnesses:

N, PETERS. Phniulilhcgmphun Walhinflon. D. C-

UNITED STAT S PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN M. HINDS, OF NEAR PALMYRA, INDIANA.

NAPKlN-HOLDER TABLE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,410, dated June 4, 1889. Application filed February 23, 1889. Serial No. 300,885. (No. model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. IIINDS, a citizen of the United States, residing near Palmyra, in the countyof Washington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in N apkin-I-Iolder Table Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists mainly in a'roller hung upon the table and having a removable napkin so applied to it as to be adapted to be rolled upon and off it and detached for washing; also in an expansible neckbandremovably attached to one end of the napkin, whereby the free end of the napkin can be clasped around the neck and suspended in front of the person while eating; also in a ratchet and spring-pawl, in connection with an automatic rolling-up device-as, for instance, elastic bands attached to the napkinroller and to the tablewhereby the napkin can be held unrolled and free from tension while clasped around the neck, and can be automatically rolled up on its roller when disconnected from the neck and the pawl is released from the ratchet, all to be as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention as adjusted for use, parts of the table and of the brackets of the napkin-holder table attachment being broken away; and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of table and napkin-holder attachment.

A in the drawings represents a portion of a table, and B a napkin-holder provided with hubs b b and reduced journals 0 c, and hung in bearings a a on the table. At each end of the roller proper B disks cl cl, of greater diameter than the roller, are applied, and one of these disks is formed with ratchet-teeth (Z on its periphery.

Above the ratchet-teeth of disk (1 a curved slotted spring-pawl plate f is fastened to the table, so that the disk extends up through the slot 9 ofthe plate, and its teeth normally engage with the rear wall of the slot and the roller prevented from turning backward but allowed to turn forward. \Vhen the springpawl plate is lifted by the loop at its handle end, the roller is free to turn backward. In rear of the napkin-roller B is another smaller roller 0, having hubs on its reduced journal ends and hung in brackets of the table A.

D is an automatic rolling-up device, consisting in this instance of two tension-bands of rubber or other elastic material attached by one of their ends to the table and carried back around the roller 0 and forward over and respectively hooked or otherwise suitably fastened to the hubs l) b of the reduced journals of the roller B, and these bands thus arranged always tend to turn the napkinroller backward and thereby roll up the nap.- kin; but the tension is not felt when the pawl is in contact with the ratchet, as shown.

E is a table-napkin guided under the table top by a pendent bar F and detachably connected by one of its ends to the napkin-roller by hooks and eyes at h h, or otherwise suitably, and having at its other or free end a split elastic neckband F, which is looped, as at W, to a stretcher-rod F, which is also detachably connected to the napkin by hooks and eyes at 7L3 h or otherwise suitably. The napkin can thus be readily taken from the roller and neckband when requiring to be washed.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Having taken a seat at the table, take hold of the split neckband and pull out or unroll the napkin far enough to place the neckband around the neck and open the neckband and spring it around the neck. The napkin thus adjusted is free to swing in front of the person eating, and serves as a protection to his wearing-apparel, and also may be used for wiping the hands or fingers. Thus neatness is insured with great convenience. After eating, and the use of the napkin is no longer required, by unclaspin'g the band from the neck and placing a finger upon the loop or handle end of the pawl and lifting the pawl out of the ratchet the elastic bands will automatically turn the napkinroller 0 backward and roll up the napkin out of sight. The releasing of the pawls may be left to the servants, if desired.

In the illustration of my invention I have merely shown how the principle of my contrivance is embodied in a single napkinholder attachment for one part of a table; but it will be understood that any number of these attachments acting independently of each other may be applied 011 a single table at a proper distance apart, and one at each place where a person sits, or that a roller or rollers having a series of separate napkins and split bands may be adopted, such roller or rollers having, respectively, the springpawl, ratchet, and elestic bands combined with them, and all operated as described.

It is contemplated to use the invention on any description of table to which it may be applicable, and to have the rollers of lengths suitable for adults and childrens napkins.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with a table, of a napki n-rollcr applied underneath the top 'or frame of the table opposite the place where a person sits, upon and off which the napkin rolls, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a napkin-roller applied underneath the top or frame of the table opposite The place where a person sits, a napkin removably attached to it, and a split neckband removably attached to the napkin, substantially as described.

In a napkin-holder table attachment applied underneath the top or frame of the table opposite the place Where a person sits, in combination, the napkin-roller, napkin, pawl, and ratchet, substantially described.

4. The combination of the napkin-roller applied underneath the top or frame of the table opposite the place where a person sits, napkin, ratchet, pawl, and an automatic tension rolling-up device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. l llN US.

\Vitnesses:

ERASTUS J. NAUGLE, 'WILL E. BERKLEY. 

